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A classroom demonstration of wireless energy transfer

This article has been downloaded from IOPscience. Please scroll down to see the full text article. 2010 Phys. Educ. 45 453 (http://iopscience.iop.org/0031-9120/45/5/F01) View the table of contents for this issue, or go to the journal homepage for more

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Where teachers share ideas and teaching solutions with the wider physics teaching community: e-mail ped@iop.org

resonance

A classroom demonstration of wireless energy transfer


Resonance is one of the recurring themes in physics and, as such, is important in research applications and in explaining many everyday phenomena. Students often encounter resonance during studies of simple harmonic motion, sound, mechanical waves and AC circuits. Alternatively, or in addition, resonance can be demonstrated in the context of magnetic (and mutual) induction. Previously, Mak incorporated two LC resonators to show transfer of energy between the two via electromagnetic induction and electromagnetic radiation [1]. Here, by contrast, one coil is driven at varying frequencies while a second one experiences magnetic induction as part of an LC circuit. Magnetic induction is discussed below, followed by a description of the demonstration. Typically, in physics courses, connections between electric and magnetic fields are introduced by Faradays law of induction. Faradays law states that induced voltages (emfs) are produced due to time rates of change of magnetic flux. Because magnetic flux is defined formally in terms of a mathematical integral, discussions of flux usually require treating a number of examples. Once students understand the underlying concepts of magnetic flux and time rates of change of this quantity, several conceptual examples are introduced. At first, examples might show how a changing quantity, such as the orientation of a magnetic field, can generate induced voltages. Later, students might be asked to determine the direction of induced currents by applying both Faradays and Lenzs laws. When mutual induction is studied, discussions focus on a changing magnetic flux within one coil inducing a voltage in a nearby coil. Following this work about the theory of electromagnetism, classroom demonstrations are often performed to show experimental manifestations of induction. In our setting, one example involves moving a permanent magnet towards a fixed coil attached to a sensitive ammeter (a galvanometer). The galvanometer shows the existence of an induced
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Figure 1. The experimental set-up that is used to demonstrate tuned magnetic induction. voltage by deflection of its needle. Other versions of this demonstration may include changing the orientation of the coil when the magnet is fixed. To extend this demonstration to include tuned magnetic induction, a frequency generator, two hand-turned coils, a 1.09 F capacitor and an LED (or LED array) are required (figure 1). Demonstration of induction is accomplished by driving one coil with the frequency generator and monitoring the second coil, which is part of a parallel LC circuit. (For the demonstration described here, a Wavetek Meterman FG3C function generator is operated at full amplitude.) Detection of the induced voltage is accomplished by placing an LED and/or an oscilloscope across the capacitor and monitoring one or both. The first coil is driven with a Wavetek function generator whose output impedance is 50 . The output voltage of the generator is 4.1 V (rms); the resistance R of the coil is 0.3 and its inductive reactance at 4.4 kHz is approximately 33 . A current of 0.12 A is delivered to the coil under these conditions. The presence of an induced voltage in the second coil shows that magnetic induction is occurring. Moreover, an observed peak in induced voltage in the second coil versus driving frequency demonstrates the existence of resonance. From the frequency at which a maximum voltage occurs, the inductance of the second coil can be readily
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Frontline obtained from 42f 2LC = 1. The inductance in our circuit is found to be approximately 1.2 mH for a resonance frequency of 4.4 kHz. The demonstration described here is introduced by an interactive lecture demonstration. As an example, students are introduced to the equipment and general set-up. An initial question generally focuses on what will happen when a changing (oscillating) voltage is applied to the first coil. After students respond, an oscillating voltage is applied to the first coil while the second coil is monitored as described above. After observing the induced voltage, the next question asks whether or not the frequency of applied voltages in the first coil affects induced voltages in the second coil. Following responses and discussions with neighbours, the first coil is driven at various frequencies while the second coil is connected to an LED. When the driving frequency of the first coil matches the resonance frequency of the LC circuit, the LED is fully illuminated (figure 1). When the driving frequency is slightly off resonance the LED is not illuminated. Thus, students clearly observe the phenomenon of resonance in a new context. Additional related activities might include determining the inductance of the second coil, discussing wireless energy transfer and figuring out how transformers work. Reference [1] Mak S Y 2000 From electromagnetic induction to electromagnetic radiation The Physics Teacher 38 428 Matthew Luczak and Blane Baker Department of Physics, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO, USA (e-mail bakerb@william.jewell.edu)

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